Calgary Civic Election Poll #2: Who do you support for Mayor?

[kipperfan]

Originally Posted by 4X4

I contend that life experience and being up close and personal with what goes on at city hall for 20 years

What? How was she more "up close and personal with what goes on at city hall" then you or I? How often do you think Barb Higgins was down at a session of city council taking reports herself? I do not know the anwser, but if it was often then that certainly comes as a surprise as I have never (watched CFCN news for years) seen her personally report from city hall.

So, in reality, the real reporters brought her the facts, that she then reported to us...am I missing something here?

[kipperfan]

Originally Posted by frinkprof

Regarding Higgins, I'm in the camp of waiting to see what her platform is. However, to all the (early) naysayers, it should be pointed out that she has done a little more than just "read the news." Barb has been heavily involved for years in various charities and causes in the City including those dealing with issues of homelessness and (if I recall correctly) breast cancer prevention.

Again, no offense to Barb, and good on for her for doing these things, but what you just stated could also be stated about my great Aunt, my neighbour Gerald and likely thousands of Canadians.

Do not get me, wrong, I love them for it (I am involved in a little charity work myself). I am just not convinced that being involved with non-profit charity's on a long term basis qualfies one in any way for a job of this magnitude.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by 4X4

Make that 11. Mine. For now. So your question is "what in bloody hell qualifies a lifetime news anchor to run one of the largest cities in the country"? I suppose I'd say that the fact that she's done it here in Calgary for 21 years - at the same station shows me that she's professional, solid, stable, and definitely in the know about what issues Calgary has historically and is currently facing. I'm also liking the fact that she's not a career politician. Being a news anchor means that you're basically not allowed to voice an opinion, so I'm (at this point) assuming that she's not in anyone's pocket.

Could not have said it better myself.

If she has a reasonable platform, my support will continue through the election.

Originally Posted by Table 5

Vote for Buckshot for premiere

In an instant man, in an instant.

[frinkprof]

Originally Posted by 4X4

A few posters called her stupid and ugly in the other thread. I didn't mean you, unless it was you that made one of the comments.

I find if funny/sad that in this day and age women in politics seem to suffer much more scrutiny with regards to looks, as if it really matters for them much more than men.

Let's face it, most of the rest of the candidates for mayor aren't exactly lookers. Most are bald(ing) middle-aged guys with glasses and various stages of potbellies. Alnoor looks like Gargamel from the Smurfs and McIver has a pronounced nervous tic. Yet somehow Barb Higgins' looks are very relevant to her legitimacy as a mayoral candidate to some people?

On a related note, this is also why I think calling McIver "Blinky" is a bit disingenuous. I personally don't like the guy's politics, but the blinking is obviously something he can't really help and shouldn't be a mark against him.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by frinkprof

On a related note, this is also why I think calling McIver "Blinky" is a bit disingenuous. I personally don't like the guy's politics, but the blinking is obviously something he can't really help and shouldn't be a mark against him.

Still open season on the mustache though, right?

[kipperfan]

Originally Posted by fotze

I think we have a few posters here that are lowly news readers, I'm curious to hear their take on how low their intelligence is and what a joke their job is.

I challenge you to find anything in this thread that disparges the inteligence of news anchors or anything that says "what a joke their job is". Barb Higgins is what she is. Heck, I would love to have had (or even have) her old job on CFCN, I imagine it would be great. It's just not the ideal precursor to being the mayor of a large city.

Why you have to think people are personally hating on Higgins is beyond me. It is so far from that it's absurd.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by fotze

But in reality, all Barb has done for those 20 years are attempt to look pretty and read from a teleprompter five nights a week.

Ya, really giving the respect to it.

While I agree shots like that aren't needed, the shots about her experience are legit.

Calgary rolled the dice with Ralph Klein and won, but that doesn't mean rolling the dice with someone else in a similar position is going to work out as well.

[kipperfan]

Originally Posted by fotze

But in reality, all Barb has done for those 20 years are attempt to look pretty and read from a teleprompter five nights a week.

Ya, really giving the respect to it.

Maybe a slight simplification of her job description I agree, but you equate that statement with:

"how low their intelligence is and what a joke their job is"??

[SebC]

Originally Posted by 4X4

How come nobody else got ripped to shreds for not announcing their full, detailed platform on the day they announced candidacy?

For the most part, they at least have some kind of record. We know what McIver is like. We know what Hehr is like. Nenshi doesn't have a political record but was involved with Better Calgary, was an opinion columnist and is putting out a new part of his platform seemingly every week. Other candidates have been at a point where they had announced their candidacy and not their platform, as the logical order is to announce your candidacy first. However, none of the other candidates were ever running on popularity and name-recognition alone, as Higgins currently is and will continue to be until she comes out with a platform that has some substance to it. It's simply a matter of circumstances that a quick platform announcement is more critical for her than for other candidates, or else she will be continue to be under a lot of scrutiny, and it will be well deserved.

[Mango]

Originally Posted by fotze

I think we have a few posters here that are lowly news readers, I'm curious to hear their take on how low their intelligence is and what a joke their job is.

Frankly, I wish my job was that easy. There are plenty of ins and outs to the broadcasting field that aren't shown/heard on the air. If someone thinks we just read the news/sports/traffic or whatever, that's fine.

Although I won't say who I'd like to see in the mayor's chair, Higgins has made things a lot more interesting. As a born and raised Calgarian, I really like that. I like to see people involved with our city and within our communities.

[Frequitude]

Originally Posted by frinkprof

Gladhander?

Gladhanding is to give a hearty but insincere greeting.

I could have told him I just kicked his dog. He still would have overzealously shaken my hand with a corny smile, given me his vote for joe business card, and moved on before actually talking to me.

[kipperfan]

Originally Posted by Mango

Frankly, I wish my job was that easy. There are plenty of ins and outs to the broadcasting field that aren't shown/heard on the air. If someone thinks we just read the news/sports/traffic or whatever, that's fine.

Hey, I do not doubt that for a second. What I do doubt is that those "ins and outs" qualify someone for a mayoral position.

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by Frequitude

What is everyone's take on Joe Connelly? I met him at Stampede and man did he just come across as a clownish gladhander.

The dumbest, most ill-suited person running. The best news out of all of this is that Ward 6 will get a new alderman and Connelly won't be anywhere near council. He's such a dumbass.

[Rhettzky]

Originally Posted by kipperfan

Hey, I do not doubt that for a second. What I do doubt is that those "ins and outs" qualify someone for a mayoral position.

No offense intended, but I think you made your point. No need to keep harping on it.

[SebC]

In other news, Kassam's support seems to have evaporated.

[Rhettzky]

Originally Posted by SebC

In other news, Kassam's support seems to have evaporated.

It also looks like Neshi and McIver lost a lot of votes to Barb and to the addition of 'Undecided'.

Last Polls results:
Naheed Nenshi 40.91%
Ric McIver 23.38%
Kent Hehr 21.43%
Alnoor Kassam 7.14%
Joe Connelly 1.95%
Jon Lord 1.95%
Paul Hughes 1.30%
Craig Burrows 0.65%
Bob Hawkesworth 0.65%
Wayne Stewart 0.65%

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by Rhettzky

It also looks like Neshi and McIver lost a lot of votes to Barb and to the addition of 'Undecided'.

Last Polls results:
Naheed Nenshi 40.91%
Ric McIver 23.38%
Kent Hehr 21.43%
Alnoor Kassam 7.14%
Joe Connelly 1.95%
Jon Lord 1.95%
Paul Hughes 1.30%
Craig Burrows 0.65%
Bob Hawkesworth 0.65%
Wayne Stewart 0.65%

Same with Hehr - 21% to 8%

[csnarpy]

Personally I like Higgins and will probably vote for her if her platform is sound. I couldn't care less if she's just a figurehead, if she has a competent staff then she could go far. But that's the kicker, she needs a very good COS to do the scutt work and use her 'celebrity' status and charisma to win the people.

It's already interesting but could get better once that platform is released.

[Ozy_Flame]

Anyone but McIver.

[SebC]

Since we're back to Higgins, here's something I've been thinking about. She's had to be unbiased for so long, she basically has the ability to invent herself. She has the opportunity to be the ultimate populist. Is that a good thing? Bad? She can tell us what she's for, but how will we know whether or not to believe her, or how much she'll be commitment she'll have for her causes? Without a track record, how does she show us that she really believes in what she's saying, and isn't just telling us what we want to hear? Does it even matter? She has no history of being able to make good or bad decisions, so how do we know that when issues come up, she'll be able to make the right call? It's an interesting problem, and I don't know what the solution would be.

The other question, of course, is if she'd be able to effectively do anything she'll say she'll do, if she can come up with creative ideas to get things done, and that's where her qualifications and experience (or lack thereof) comes into the discussion.